


Wicked Game

by voomvoompew



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Partner Betrayal, Quinncident, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:27:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24873037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voomvoompew/pseuds/voomvoompew
Summary: An attempt at Quinn's POV leading up to the Quinncident.
Relationships: Malavai Quinn/Female Sith Warrior
Kudos: 23





	Wicked Game

**Author's Note:**

> The Sith Warrior's name is purposely never used in this fic, and I don't plan to change that. Since the interaction is almost entirely between the two characters, I think it works alright. This is also my very first fic submission, so please forgive that.

Dark hair spilled across the pillow next to him. Quinn had always found it to be one of her loveliest features – the long tangle of waves cascading down her back, originating from the soft curve of her head. He pictured cracking it open, unspooling her secrets, her power, presenting all of what she was to Baras on a platter. The order had come in almost a week ago, and Quinn had worked tirelessly to remain consistent in behavior – even if that meant visiting her quarters. He found it oddly easy to lose himself in her, to forget about the guilt and simply drown himself in her presence. It had gotten to the point where thoughts of his mission would only resurface deep in the night, when the only distractions his lover posed were her light snores.

_“You’ve done well, Captain. Your dalliance with my apprentice is no doubt a stroke of genius – I can sense the trust between you. But the time has come for me to call upon you once again. I have no doubt that she would have made a fine Darth, even ascended to join the Council, but that cannot be allowed to happen. She threatens all that I have built, and worse yet, she is no longer of use to me.”_

_“My lord, I – is there no other option?”_

_“This is your career, Captain._ This _is your future, not between the sheets of a Sith Lord that would just as easily throw you away in her mad quest for reform. Do you truly not see what her ambitions have wrought? The Empire’s enemies yet live, with her to thank for it. Don’t tell me you’ve traded your patriotism for delusion.”_

_“I… suppose you are right.”_

He traced her shoulder blade gently as he replayed the conversation in his head, and she let out a small _hmm_ of contentment. In sleep, she was so marvelously human, surprisingly devoid of her ferocity and power. He had loved her long before he had ever seen her this way, but somehow the quiet vulnerability of his sleeping lover had reaffirmed his affections twice, even thrice over.

He had pondered many ways to end her life in these nights, each plan more ridiculous than the last. Was he to drug the crew and take her to a secondary location? To corner her in her quarters, or to simply end it in her sleep? Killing a Sith was no simple task, he knew, but there was some advantage to having her complete and total trust in him. His eyes scoured every inch of her, from the hair pooling at the edge of her pillow to her exposed skin, and realized with a sickening churn of his stomach that he was the only person in the galaxy that had come this close to eliminating her. Even Draahg, Baras’s most trusted apprentice, had made his attempts, but she’d bested the fool twice over. No, he hadn’t known her like Quinn knew her. The curve of her arms, the way they moved as she cut down her enemies, the tiny chinks in her armor that no simple man could perceive. And Quinn was no simple man, not even when at the mercy of her love, much less her anger. This dalliance made her weak, and she was soon going to pay for that weakness.

The next morning, Quinn awoke with a plan. He gathered himself stealthily, dressing himself cautiously so as not to wake her. He willed himself not to look at her as he did this; the warmth and curve of her form was all too inviting, even when buried under the sheets. He exited the room at what became a jog, for one more moment spent in her presence would surely be enough to send him diving back into the bed.

It was fortunate that most of the crew tended to sleep in; he worked better without the incessant chatter, namely that of Vette’s. He could think this way, cover his tracks, even continue his duties as Captain. In the dim emptiness of the bridge, he felt a hollowness in his heart that he allowed, if only for a moment, to cloud him. He exhaled heavily, closing his eyes. _You have to do this._

There was scarcely a winning scenario here. Quinn had long abandoned the idea of simply killing her in her sleep, as uncomplicated and precise as the operation would be. She deserved to die on her feet; after everything they had been through, he felt he owed her that much. But the Wrath was fierce, indeed, far more so than the average Sith; she was not so easily defeated, even by her own kind. Quinn wondered blankly for a moment if Baras knew this, but he quickly shoved the thought away.

He had gained many favors within Imperial ranks, namely the poor souls who had previously labored under Broysc’s employ. Ovech and his men were talented, well-trained, and indisputable assets to the Empire – but even one of their deaths on Quinn’s head was too much to bear. No, he could never send his fellows to the slaughter. And knowing his lover, a slaughter it would most certainly be.

On the other hand, he had no chance facing her alone. Worse yet, a duel between the two of them would make it far easier for her to play on his sympathies, his feelings for her. How cruel she was, toying with him like this, daring him to give in to her, to abandon his loyalties. Quinn sighed in exasperation; he had given in to her _far_ too many times. His damnable heart continued to get the better of him and she knew it – preyed on it, even. He could still feel the softness of her fingers creeping up his chest, tracing his collarbones so lightly he scarcely felt it, a smile creeping across her lips –

 _This is your career._ This _is your future._ The Darth’s words rang in his head ominously, dismissing the memory. It had taken surprisingly little effort on Baras’ part to change Quinn’s heart. After all, the Darth had been right – what future could he, a lowly Imperial, have with a traitorous Sith lord? She’d be hunted to the ends of the galaxy by her former master, and he doubted he’d last long at her side, regardless of the skills he offered. Perhaps she wouldn’t even want him there. After all, this was a dalliance, a tryst. He was little more than a passing fancy to her, a convenience. Her captain. His heart ached at the thought.

His body stiffened as two arms wrapped themselves around his front, followed by the weight of her head leaning against him. He nearly dropped the datapad he’d been idly clinging to, his ears burning as he realized it was completely blank. How long had he been standing here? Judging by the relative stillness of the ship, not long. He breathed a sigh of relief – the impropriety of the situation was nearly unbearable, but it was a small comfort to know they were less likely to get caught.

“My lord.”

“Captain.” The warmth of her breath on his back was intoxicating. That, coupled with the weight of her arms resting against his middle, he felt his uniform tightening considerably. “You left rather early this morning.” It was not a question.

“Not without great difficulty, my lord.”

“Is something troubling you?” she asked, her fingers playing at the creases of his jacket. The question was a courtesy – no doubt she already sensed the conflict in him. Damn her, always dancing around the point, playing coy. It seemed polite enough on the surface, but the truth was that he simply couldn’t keep anything from her. Which presented a problem.

“Your perceptions are keen as ever.”

“You can always talk to me, Quinn,” she said, a touch of seriousness in her tone.

“I know,” he said softly. He hadn’t prepared a response at all, hardly even considered what might become of him if he dared to lie to her. But at that, she squeezed him tight, exhaling slowly against him.

In a flash of sudden abandon, Quinn spun to face her, catching her in a fierce embrace. He kissed the top of her head gently, pulling her as close to as he possibly could, as though no amount of distance between them could be acceptable. They melted into each other’s embrace with such warmth and familiarity that they might have been two halves of a whole, and Quinn felt his heart skip a beat in a realization that made his blood run cold. He instinctively wrenched his eyes shut at the memory of his prior machinations. Through it all, only one thought remained, his and his alone, like a brand upon his heart.

_I’m in love with her._


End file.
